• Winners at this year's Visit Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Tourism Awards have been announced

• 400 guests attended as gold, silver and bronze awards were given out across 20 categories

• Winners in 15 categories will represent the county at the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence later this year

• New economic strategy for Staffordshire approved

• Five delivery priorities set out to shape county's growth

• County council will lead, collaborate and advocate projects to build resilient economy

• sben celebrates 1000 member milestone

• Family-run artisan fudge producer joins network

• Businesses can increase profitability and improve environmental performance

• Country park visitors are being reminded to stick to paths and keep their dogs on leads to protect wildlife.

• Cannock Chase is one of the region’s most important strongholds for adders, which have declined sharply across the UK.

• Protecting rare species such as adders is a key part of the council’s refreshed Natural Environment Strategy.

• Amy Stokes, 16, from Tamworth has won the Staffy art trail design competition.

• Her winning design will be painted onto one of the Staffordshire Day art trail's Staffy sculptures, with the help of a professional local artist.

• With English Tourism Week launching today, Staffordshire celebrates its growing visitor economy which has seen overnight visitors rise by more than 5%.

• Cabinet will consider a new five-year Environmental Action Plan (2026–2030) next week.

• The plan sets out practical actions to tackle environmental challenges and support economic growth.

• Eight priorities include reducing waste, supporting access to affordable and reliable energy, strengthening resilience to flooding, and supporting biodiversity.

• County council is supporting a new initiative to recycle food waste separately each week.

• The food waste will be used for renewable energy and fertiliser.

• Residents are automatically signed up and will be provided a small kitchen caddy, a larger outdoor caddy, and a starter roll of liners.

• The Ignite programme, teaching enterprise skills to young people, has returned for its sixth year.

• New to the programme is a Dragon's Den-style competition, where students will be invited to put together a business plan and pitch it to a panel of judges, with prizes up for grabs.

• Ignite has helped more than 30,000 young people across Staffordshire to develop business skills.

• Trentham Estate is the first organisation to sponsor a ‘Staffy’ sculpture for a new public art trail celebrating 10 years of Staffordshire Day.

• The sculpture will be displayed in Stafford during the 10 week trail before returning to Trentham as a lasting legacy.

• Painted by local schoolchildren, the sculpture will feature Trentham’s colours and help promote Staffordshire to visitors and businesses.

• IT specialist lands ideal job role through county council programme

• Stafford based ICT company partners with Staffordshire Jobs and Careers Service

• Employment brokers on hand to match organisations with ideal candidates